History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 87

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO

when once in, and it was also easy for difficulty to drive out members and to prevent new members from joining the Church. Depleted in its membership, it was impos- sible for the society to make the third and fourth pay- ments on the lot on which their edifice was standing ; and as the making of these two payments was the con- dition upon which Mr. McCormick had agreed to give a deed to the lot, the society was not entitled to and did not receive the deed. Mr. McCormick made the pay- ments, retained and still retains the ownership of the lot. Many of the members losing sight of, or never having learned of, the existence of this condition, accused Mr. McCormick of violating his agreement with respect to the deed, and excited themselves to such a degree that they refused longer to worship on Mr. McCormick's property. This feeling was entertained by a majority of the members, and in consequence they purchased a lot at the southwest corner of Jackson Street and Edina Place, to which, in August or Septem- ber, they moved their building, converted it into a two- story edifice by erecting under it a basement story, and which, when completed ready for occupancy in March, 1859, was worth, with the lot on which it stood, from $12,000 to $14,000. This new edifice was dedicated March 13, the sermon being preached in the morning by Rev. R. W. Henry, and in the afternoon by Rev. Dr. L. H. Long.

At the beginning of the difficulties in the Church over the slavery question, and partly on account of these difficulties, Cyrus H. McCormick, Leander J. McCor- mick, William S. McCormick, Mrs. M. A. McCormick, Mrs. H. M. McCormick, and others whose resi- dences were near the North Presbyterian Church, to which Rev. N. L. Rice had lately been called, were dismissed by letter to unite therewith. This was on November 5. 1857. and partly on account of the calling of Dr. Rice. The retirement of Cyrus H. McCormick, its wealthiest member, was a misfortune to the society, as he had up to that time paid $3,000 a year towards its support. The withdrawal of this generous aid was a great discouragement also, both to the re- maining members and to those who might desire to be- come members. As a result of these difficulties the church never became able to pay its half of the purchase price for the Congress-street lot. In 1858 considerable numbers left the South Church, some to unite with the North Presbyterian Church, some to join the Second, and still others to go to other churches. Among those to unite with the North Church were the two elders of the South Church, Charles A. Spring. Sr., and Thomas H. Beebe. At a meeting held February 11, 1858, John Wilson and William G. Holmes were elected to fill the vacancies, and were ordained on Sunday, the 14th. On the 6th of October, 1858, Elder Wilson was granted a certificate of dismissal, and on June 13, 1859. John G. Law was elected to his place. The society was now finally at peace, and worshiping in a building of its own, standing on a lot for which had been given new obligations. During the balance of the year its pro- gress, though steady, was not rapid. In the beginning of 1860 a more lively interest was worked up, twenty- five members joining during the first three months. The total number of communicants in April. 1860, was one hundred and nineteen. Rev. R. W. Henry having re- ceived a call from the Scotch Presbyterian Church of New York City, resigned his pastorate April 2 to accept the call, and was dismissed with gratitude for his self- denying labors while here, and with the best wishes of the congregation to his new and more arduous field of

duty. At this time there were one hundred children in the Sunday school and Bible class.

THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organ- ized on Tuesday, September 23, 1845, with nine mem- bers, as follows: Solomon McKichen, Mrs. Margaret McKichen, Malcolm McNeil, James Lowe, Miss Agnes Lowe, Robert Miller, George Murray, William Devore, and Samuel James. This was the result of efforts which originated during the preceding spring, when Rev. John Morrison, who was located in the vicinity of Chicago, preached a number of sermons in this city, at which time there was neither Church nor members. The fol- lowing extract from a brief manuscript history of this Church, by the Rev. A. M. Stewart, its first pastor, de- tails its early history, as likewise some of his personal experience:

" At a meeting of General Synod, in Philadelphia, l'enn., May, IS45, the place (Chicago) was represented as a very important one, and worthy, if possible, of being at once occupied. In accordance with this, the Synod appointed myself - then a licentiate-to come and spend a number of months in Chicago and vicinity, to see what were the prospects, and what with proper effort, might be reasonably effected. In fulfillment of this appointment. I arrived by way of the lakes in Chicago, Saturday, July 12, 1345, an entire stranger, knew no one and had an introduction to no one. Preached in the afternoon of next day, in Mr. Henderson's Seminary, to an audience of seven persons. Since which time, with occasional in- terruption, have been here till the present (September, 1847)."

.The organization took place at the house of Solo- mon McKichen, at which time Mr. McKichen and Robert Miller were elected and ordained elders. On Sunday, November 30, 1845, the first communion was dispensed, Rev. John Morrison officiating, at which time twelve persons united, as follows: Robert Malcolm, Harvey Botwell, Mrs. Mary Botwell, Elizabeth Hender- son, David Hood, Mrs. Maria Hood, Mrs. James Lowe, Mrs. Flora McNeil, Mrs. Agnes Miller, Mrs. Samuel James, Mrs. Janet Miller, and Miss Barbara Allison. About the beginning of 1846, as the expiration of Rev. A. M. Stewart's appointment drew near, the infant con- gregation, fearing that they would be left entirely with- out a pastor, or would at best have to depend on occa- sional supplies, and as a consequence soon be dispersed, extended a unanimous call to Rev. A. M. Stewart, to become their settled pastor, and promised him an annual salary of three hundred dollars; expressing the hope, however, that the salary might soon be increased. Ow- ing to the inability of Mr. Stewart to be present at the spring meeting of the Western Presbytery, which had been requested by the Church to moderate the call, the proposition lay for a time in the hands of the Presby- tery. On the 6th of June, the third communion was held, Mr. Morrison again officiating, at which time John McGilvary, Mrs. Isabella McGilvary, John McMonagle, Mrs. Sarah McMonagle, Jane Noble, Barbara Club and Anna Burnett joined the Church. During the early period of its existence the society occupied a hall at the northwest corner of Clark and Randolph streets, but as the congregation increased in size, it became necessary to find a more capacious room. Accordingly arrangements were made with Mr. Hender- son, whereby the Church worshiped in his Female Seminary Building at the corner of Clark and Madison streets. Here they remained until the fall of 1846, when they removed to the third story of the " City Saloon," at the corner of Clark and Lake streets. In the fall of 1847 they re-rented the Seminary building, occupying it until December 23, 1849, when they dedi- cated their new church edifice, just completed, at the corner of Clinton and Fulton streets. This house was a very neat and beautiful Gothic frame building, sixty-

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PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

two by thirty-six feet in size, and quite elegantly finished. The cost of the building was about $1,600, on which there was a debt of but $200. A portion of the money expended in the erection of this church had been raised by Rev. A. M. Stewart in the summer and early fall of 1846, during a tour made for that purpose through the Eastern and Middle States, with the result of collecting about $800. He returned by way of Xenia, Ohio, for the purpose of attending a meeting of the Synod, and while at Xenia the Western Presbytery held a meeting and presented to him the call of his Chicago Church, which he then accepted. But he was not ordained until May 13, 1847, the ordination taking place in the " Saloon Building." The first communion under the new relation of pastor and people was dispensed August 15, 1847, Rev. Josiah Huntington, of Pennsylvania, assisting. On this occasion twenty persons united with the congregation. The next communion was held May 21, 1848, when Mr. Stewart was assisted by Rev. James K. Campbell, missionary from Northern India. At this communion twelve new names were added to the Church-roll. In 1849, thirteen persons were received into membership ; in 1850, forty-four; in 1851, forty- two ; in 1852, sixteen ; in 1853, forty-four ; in 1854, twenty-seven ; and in 1855, the last year of Rev. A. M. Stewart's ministry, twenty, making a total number added to the Church during that time of two hundred and sixty-six. The first building erected by this Church was burned down in the year 1859, in common with a large amount of lumber, and quite a number of other buildings, at the time of the National Fair, the fire originating from a spark from the pipe or cigar of a visitor to the city, and causing a loss of about $500,000. The Society immediately inaugurated the enterprise of erecting a brick church on the site of the one destroyed, which in six months was so far advanced toward completion as to be occupied for religious services, and which, when completed, cost about $15,000. This was a two-story building, with a room in the basement for Sunday school, and a number of ante-rooms, and in the upper story an audience-room- capable of comfortably seating six hundred people. It was surmounted with a tower containing a bell. In 1869, on account of the encroachments of railroads and various kinds of business, this church was sold for $13,- ooo, the furniture being reserved, and a new frame edi- fice erected at the corner of Fulton and May streets, at a cost of about $12,000, including land. This building was occupied by the Church until the time of its disor- ganization in 1875, when it was leased ; but on account of a mortgage on the property in favor of Moses Shirra it now is a part of his estate. The Rev. A. M. Stewart retired from the pastorate of this Church in September, 1855, and for two years there was no regular pastor. During this interval Dr. Guthrie supplied the pulpit three months, when a call was accepted and almost im- mediately afterward his acceptance was withdrawn. Dr. Black then supplied the pulpit some months, and in July, 1857. a call was extended to Robert Patterson, I). D., of Cincinnati, Ohio, which was accepted, and he began his labors in August of the same year. In March, 1864, he received a call from George H. Stew- art. of Philadelphia, to labor in the U. S. Christian Commission, and moved to Philadelphia to engage in that work. His resignation tendered to his Church was not accepted, leave of absence for one year only be- ing granted, and he returned in May, 1865. During his absence the pulpit had been supplied six months by Rev. John MeCorkel, who had just resigned his charge in Elgin, and by Dr. Van Doren. Dr. Patterson then

continued in the pastorate until the latter part of De- cember, 1866, when with a large majority of his congre- gation, he left the Reformed Church, and early in Jan- uary, 1867, united with the Old-School Presbyterian de- nomination. The secession left the Reformed Church comparatively weak in numbers and in money, but free from debt. For some months afterward the Church enjoyed the ministerial services of Dr. Van Doren, and while erecting their new church at the corner of May and Fulton streets extended a call to the Rev. G. MI. Ramsey, who accepted the call January 27, 1869, and remained until 1873, when he resigned. No subsequent attempt was made to fill the pulpit, and the congrega- tion gradually distributed themselves among other churches, until at length the Reformed Presbyterian Church ceased to exist. The first elders were Solomon McKichen and Robert Miller. On August 14, 1847. William Kennedy, who had arrived with his family from Alabama, was installed in that office. On the 17th of February, 1848, Isaac Fleming was elected elder, and ordained March 6. Mr. Fleming died of the cholera August 28, 1850. On the 9th of December, 1849, John Clark, a ruling elder from the United Secession Church of Scotland, was installed elder here. In the spring of 1850, the Session was enlarged by the addi- tion of George Clark and Thomas Floyd. A Sunday school was organized October 5, 1845, Rev. A. M. Stewart taking the superintendency until some other person could be procured. John McGilvary afterward became superintendent, and upon his removal from the city in about a year, Robert Miller became superin- tendent. Mr. Miller was succeeded by William Ken- nedy, who was superintendent in 1849.

REV. ALEXANDER MORRISON STEWART, D.D., was born January 22, 1S14, in Beaver (now Lawrence) County, Pa., at the homestead which his grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary War, had founded in 1796, in the then new country of western Pennsylvania, going thence from Carlisle, Pa. His father, James Stewart, was a Captain in the war of 1812, and his mother was Miss Nancy Morrison, of Carlisle, Pa. At the age of eight years his school life began under the care of Master Elliott, and contin- ued later under that of Master Sterett, well known instructors in that region, and all of his boyhond was spent on his father's farm, surrounded by the loving influence of a Christian home. When at the age of eighteen he felt himself converted and joined the Old-School Presbyterian Church at Slippery Rock, l'a., then under the pastorate of Rev. Robert Semple. During the following year he decided to prepare himself for the ministry, and in the fall of

A. M Stewart

IS33 commenced nis studies at Schellsburg Academy, Bradford Co., l'a., where his older brother, Rev. Ethan Allan Stewart, had charge of the Academy. From there he entered Franklin College at New Athens, Ohio, and after graduating, studied theology under the l'ittsburgh Presbytery of the Keformed Presbyterian Church, and was licensed to preach in December, IS41. In the spring and summer of 1842 he preached throughout the various precinct- of the Pittsburgh Presbytery, and in the fall received a call to settle as pastor in Centerville, Shenango Co., l'a., which he declined. In the spring of 1343 he preached in Cincinnati, and afterward filled appointments under the Philadelphia and Northern Presbytery. in Philadelphia, New York and Vermont, and in the fall declined a call from Milton, l'a. He was sent out in November, 1543, by the Presbytery, and preached in various stations throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, also in New Orleans, St. Louis and Chicago. Returning to Philadelphia, he attended divinity lee- Inres under Rev. S. B. Wyle in the winter of 1344-45, and also med- ical lectures at Jefferson College. In April, 1845 he want lost .de- dunia county, Vi., and thence to western Pennsylvania, where he preached until the fall when he came to Chicago and organized the

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

congregation of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Seminary building on Clark Street, south of Madison, where he also taught a school in the languages during the winter of 1845-46. He remained in Chicago until 1855, when his health was so broken . as to compel him to seek a different climate, and after a two years, 'rest in Sewickley, l'a., he accepted a call to the Second Reformed Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, l'a., of which he was pastor at the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion. Many young men of Pittsburgh, including a considerable proportion of his own congregation, promptly volunteered to defend their country, and Rev. A. M. Stewart as promptly proposed, in a letter to Brigadier- General I. S. Negley, dated April 19, 1861, to accompany the volunteers to the field, " to comfort the sick and wounded, and to console the dying," and if necessary to handle the rifle or sword. In a week he was with the Thirteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers in Vork, l'a., enlisted for a three months' campaign. Rev. Mr. Stewart remained with his regiment, which when re-or- ganized became the One lIundred and Second, until near the close of the war. In July, 1864, he was assigned to duty as local chap- lain at Gilsboro, D. C., and afterward became district secretary of the American Tract Society at Washington, D. C. In March, IS66, he accepted the pastorate of the united congregations of East Whiteland and Reesville (N. S.). Chester Co., Pa., where he remained until the spring of 1868, when he was solicited by the Board of Home Missions to become its secretary for the Pacific slope. Here he organized new churches and preached in Nevada and California during 1868. In 1569 he returned to resign his pastorate, and then resumed his secretaryship on the Pacific slope, the duties of which he performed until the re-union of the Old and New School Presbyterian assemblies. Preferring pastoral duties to those of the secretaryship, he accepted a call to the Gilroy Presbyterian Church, Santa Clara Valley, Cal., with which he remained until 1374, when he resigned with the in- tention of making a tour around the world, but upon receiving urgent calls to work in new fields at home, his sense of duty being strong and sensitive, he interpreted such as the call of his Master to put aside the pleasure of travel for a time and work yet longer in Ilis vineyard. Thinking so, he accepted the call of the First Presbyterian Church at Chico, Butte Co., Cal., in June, IS74, of which he was pastor at the time of his death, February 24, 1375. Dr. Stewart was married in October. 1847, to Miss N. E. Hadley, daughter of Moses Hadley, by whom he had two children, George Hadley Stewart, of San Francisco, Cal., and Mary E. Stewart, now the wife of George B. Wilson, of Delano, Cal. Mrs. N. E. 'Stewart died December 9 .- 1860 Dr. Stewart was married the sec- ond time, February: 25, 1864. to Miss Josephine A. Malcom, "daughter of Kobert Malcom, a prominent citizen of Chicago, who died during the night of the great hre. In person Dr. Stewart was tall and of distinguished presence, and his character one of mild- ness and tenderness, associated with great hrainess and strength. He never entered into disputations, and won his hearers as much by his charm of manner as by the exercise of his superior abilities.

REV. ROBERT PATTERSON, D.D., was born in the north of Ireland, and was of Scotch-Irish parentage, He came to the United States while comparatively young, settled in Philadelphia, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. Soon, however, he abandoned business for the ministry. After due study and preparation he was licensed to preach by the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and be- gan his labors by becoming a missionary in the then Western States. Soon he accepted a call to the pastorate of a Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained sev- eral years, until he removed to Chicago in 1857, and assumed charge of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church on Fulton Street in that city. The Church had been without a pastor two years, and was struggling with adverse circumstances. But Mr. l'atterson was in the vigor of his young manhood, and entered upon the work of building up the Church with all the ardor and earnestness of an ag- gressive and bold nature. llis efforts were rewarded by his Church becoming crowded with an earnest and united congrega- tion. In 1859 the church edifice was destroyed by fire, but soun, through his active efforts, a larger and more commodious building was erected. At the outbreak of the slaveholder's rebellion many of the members of Mr. Patterson's Church cali-ted in the l'aion army and in [$63 and 1-64. during the country . darkest days. Dr. Patterson called a meeting of his Church, explained to its members the necessities and suffering- of the soldiers in the hell, and ten- dered his resignation, that he might himself go to the front. The Church prompth voted hin leave of absence for one year, or during the war. and under the direction of the Christian Commission he visited many a camp hospital and battlefield. This commission, rec- ognizing his wonderful caraestness and power as a public speaker, detailed him on special duty in California and Oregon, especially in the mining regions of the Pacific coast, to raise funds to carry on the work of ministering to the physical and spiritual necessities of the sick and wounded soldiers. Going by way of the 14th-

mus he contracted malaria, which, together with the excitement and overwork attendant on his mission, impaired his health and for a time prostrated him. After the close of the war he returned to Chicago, and was heartily welcomed by his congregation; but soon both Church and pastor, feeling the influences of the war in the disintegration of religious as well as of political creeds, and ming- ling with other Christian denominations, became dissatisfied with the restraints of the rules of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, especially in the matter of hymn singing and close communion; and as liberty in these particulars could not be secured in the Re- formed Church, Dr. Patterson and a large majority of his congre- gation decided to unite with the Old School Presbyterian denomina- tion. In order to do so honorably they renounced all legal claim to the church property, which was entirely unincumbered, and permitted it to be retained by a small minority of the Church, who were content to remain under the rules of the Reformed Church. This withdrawal was the origin of the Jefferson l'ark Church. Dr. Patterson is a man of fine physical appearance, and has few supe- riors on the platform and in the pulpit, and in his magnetic power over an audience. His preaching is entirely extemporaneous, and is evidently under the inspiration of the thought that he has been divinely commissioned to proclaim the gospel to dying men. Ile is aceredited by his admirers with a Pauline fervency in his denun- ciations of sins, shams and hypocrisy, and yet with the possession of the tenderness of the Apostle John. During the fail and win- ter after the great fire, he was one of the leading spirits in the prosecution of the gigantic work of providing for the thousands thrown upon the charity of the world by that dire calamity, and his devotedness to the work and the exposure consequent thereon, made rapid inroads upon his health, and in the succeeding spring he was obliged to seek abroad a restoration of health. A short

vacation was not, however, sufficient, and fearing to risk the rigors of another Northern winter, he felt compelled to sever his connec- tion with Chicago and with the Church, between which and whom there existed such sincere regard, and to adopt California as his future home. In San Francisco he is now the pastor of a large and flourishing congregation.

OLIVET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- At a meeting of the Young Men's Christian Association, connected with the Second Presbyterian Church, held February 11, 1856, Rev. J. Ambrose Wight was elected by them to serve as city missionary under their auspices. MIr. Wight was also to have in view the formation and es tablishment of a Presbyterian Church in some destitut. portion of the city. He at once entered upon his mis- sionary labors, and in addition thereto preached or Sunday mornings in the building known as the Taylor Street Sunday-school house, standing on Taylor street, between Edina Place and Buffalo Street. The first serv- ice was held Sunday, February 16, 1856, twenty per- sons being present, nineteen of whom belonged to the Second Presbyterian Church. From this time until the organization of the Church was effected, about six meni- bers of the Second Presbyterian Church were regularly in attendance each Sunday morning, the rest of the congregation varying considerably in numbers and be- longing to the floating population of the city. The purchase of a lot was considered by Mr. Wight a neces- sary preliminary to the organization of a society, and to accomplish this end he spent considerable time in can- vassing for subscriptions ; but the project met with sc little encouragement that it was abandoned. It was then thought best to build upon a rented lot. Mr. Wighl had several estimates made of the cost of the erection of such a home ; but before anything had been done in this direction, the church hitherto occupied by the Universalists, and standing on Washington Street, was offered for sale, and after examining une structure il was thought proper to purchase this house. According. Is, in September of the same year it was bought for $2,750, including the church furniture and a small reed organ, and moved to a lot on the west side of Wabash Avenue, abont one hundred feet north of 'Twelfth Street. owned by and rented of Dr. John H. Foster, for live years, at an annual rental of Sibo. Trustees were now elected in the persons of S. D. Ward, F. D. Gray and S. B,

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History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 87

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340